Electronic shelf label (ESL) systems typically include a plurality of electronic displays, at least one for each item in a store. The electronic displays are coupled to a central server from where prices for all of the displays can be changed. In wireless ESL systems, the server may be coupled to communication base stations (CBSs) that wireless communicate with the ESLs.
If a CBS stops working, it may be days before anybody notices. Failure may be difficult to detect. Remote support personnel may be able to connect to the CBS and get basic diagnostic information, but in order to verify that the CBS can truly communicate with an ESL, support personnel must either call the customer or dispatch a field engineer to physically bring an ESL close to the CBS. This is slow, inconvenient, and costly.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of determining failure of a CBS.